P3P: The World is Ours
by Alycoris
Summary: The World is a fragile thing.
1. Chapter 1

**Burn... my dread...**

The refrain stung her ears, yet an auburn-haired girl with unnaturally red eyes listened avidly as she boarded the Anehazuru passenger train. She stared out the window into the dusk of night, spying the Moonlight Bridge's outline on the horizon. Her father, mother, and brother died in a car crash on that very bridge, leaving her all alone since all those years ago.

For a moment, while she stared at the moonlit surface of the water, a blue butterfly fluttered in front of the train window. It effortlessly kept up as the train glided over the ocean, as the girl gawked.

_Time never waits._

_It delivers all equally to the same end._

_You, who wish to safeguard the future,_

_However limited it may be..._

_You will be given one year;_

_Go forth without falter,_

_With your heart as your guide..._

She, the girl began rubbing her eyes, blinking several times to see that the butterfly was nowhere in sight. Glancing around the train to see if anyone else had perceived it, the announcer's voice rang out through the intercom.

"Due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered. We

apologize to any passengers who were in a hurry. The next stop is Iwatodai..."

She shook her head several times to regain her sense of feeling. Griping a nearby handle for support, she maintained her balance as the train steadily slowed to a stop.

"Iwatodai."

Ignoring the rest of the announcements, she stepped back onto solid ground, glancing around the interior of the train station with the blank look that she often kept on her face, like a mask of sorts. Glancing at the clock overhead on the beam, she saw it was seconds away from midnight.

Darkness fell as the second hand struck the clock.

The few passengers that had left the train were replaced with pitch-black coffins. Simultaneously, all the lights died and the moonlight that filtered from the glass windows above me took a green glow. Deafening silence settled as blood leaked from cracks and crevices alike, and dripped from the walls onto the floor. Her MP3 player fell dead quiet, adding to the stillness of the night.

Glancing around one final time, she let out a quiet breath and began walking, with her bag bouncing against her thigh. In the time of Midnight, or Darkness as she called it, she had never encountered another person. When she was younger, she preferred to hide under the covers until it had passed. No one that she lived with understood what she meant when she told them about it. No one except her uncle who lived Mikage-cho believed her, for some odd reason.

She sighed fretfully, and continued trudging along the blood-drenched streets. Coffins were scattered haphazardly where she walked. The moon loomed eerily over head, illuminating all with dank light. Yet, she did not stop for nothing. She was afraid of the shadows that loomed on every corner; shadows that looked... almost alive.

She continued walking through the bloodied streets of Iwatodai, unfaltering despite her festering dread.

* * *

><p>She, was Hamuko Arisato.<p>

She was a auburn-haired girl of seventeen, with unnaturally red eyes and a cheerful disposition. She was somewhat of an outcast due to her unseemly foreign appearance, yet when approached by others, she welcomed them.

A good listener, she was called. She blamed it on the fact that she didn't like interrupting people, or rather because she had always wanted to hear what they had to say. She liked to talk, but she never said more than needed. Of course, she didn't exactly know what to say all the time either. She was sentimental towards others; more empathetic than most people, actually.

She always put others before herself. But despite this, she always had a feel of emptiness around her. Sadness. Any friends she made, she lost when she moved away. Despite any promises of 'meeting up again', inevitably, she was always let down. This year, she believed, would be as all the others had been.

She was used to it by now.

Calmly, she continued walking through the blood-drenched streets while glancing every so often at the map she had been provided.

* * *

><p>Finally, she arrived at her destination. Walking up the steps, Hamuko tried the door. Surprisingly, it opened without any resistance, as if inviting her to go inside. Which she did. The lights were on for once, she noticed. Which was uncanny because normally anything electronic shut itself off. Hamuko gently placed her bag on the floor as she glanced around the dimly lit dorm.<p>

"You're late." A voice shattered the silence she was all too accustomed to. Turning to the side, she saw a young boy leaning behind the counter to her left. He looked about seven or so, maybe ten if she was mistaken, and had shining blue eyes; eyes almost as dark as the night itself.

_Wait. Someone's awake?_

"I've been waiting a long time for you."

The boy's smile was a thin line on his face. Snapping his fingers, he suddenly shifted to the spot in front of her. If it weren't for Hamuko's blind amazement, she would've asked how he had done that. The boy motioned to the counter he had left, and pointed out a thin red book that clearly stood out.

Hamuko blinked.

"If you want to proceed... sign your name there."

She walked towards the book wonderingly as the booklet opened itself up, and revealed its contents to the auburn-haired girl. "It's a contract." The boy supplied helpfully. "Don't worry; all it says is that you'll take full responsibility for your actions." By this point, Hamuko didn't know what to think of the situation.

"You know, The usual stuff..."

Wonderingly, Hamuko stared at the single line that decorated the contract.

_**"I, Hamuko Arisato, give my word that I will accept and take the full responsibilities and consequences of my actions."**_

The boy stared at her expectantly. Hamuko blinked only once, before decidedly signing her name on the contract. It was simple; it stated its purpose and the terms to the agreement, but what was she signing for in the first place? Didn't her relatives say that they already took care of the necessary paperwork for moving to the dorm? In any case, with an apathetic look, she passed the contract over to the boy. His eyes never moved from her until she did; being just 'freaked out' by this kid would be a heavy understatement.

"No one can escape time," The boy explained in a perfectly nonchalant manner as he pulled the booklet close to his chest. "It delivers us all to the same end…" He held the contract to his face and continued, "You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes." And just like that, he turned the book sideways, returning it into nothingness with ease. For the first time, she saw the boy close his eyes.

The boy made a gesture to reach out for her as the shadows on the walls began enveloping the room. As they grew closer, the lights dimmed, and eventually faded. He melted against the balckness of the room, disappearing completely from view.

"And so... it begins..."

The darkness came abruptly as the boy left. Staring the spot he had vanished, Hamuko stared at it in a daze of some kind. That is until, another voice rang out an nearly gave her a heart attack.

"Who's there?"

A pretty brunette wearing a pink sweater came running down from the stairs situated at the end of the room. She glared at Hamuko for a moment before gasping, "How can you be... But it's...!"

Just as Hamuko was about to ask if she was referring to 'Darkness', the brunette pulled out a gun from the holster on her thigh which Hamuko had failed to notice. The brunette pointed it downwards, both cautiously and clumsily. Hamuko accessed the girl standing before her.

She was shaking.

She looked terrified.

She was hyperventilating, too.

Her expression screamed that she didn't know how to use that thing.

Gulping, Hamuko took a step towards her.

"D-Don't come near me!" The brunette stuttered as she lifted the gun higher, still trembling.

At this point, Hamuko was sure that someone would end up badly hurt. Whether it was bravery or sheer stupidity, she decided to make another move, one that hopefully would stop the girl from doing anything. She raised her hands ever so slowly.

"I'm sorry?"

No sooner than she said that, the brunette swung the gun upward. Hamuko jerked back, hoping she would dodge any bullets that the girl fired.

"Takeba! Wait!"

Thankfully, they never came. A new voice broke out, and someone came running from upstairs. At the same time, without anything to stop her, Hamuko fell back towards the carpeted floor. Seconds later, her head slammed down against the bag she had dropped earlier; it didn't do a very good job of cushioning her fall.

Hamuko landed against the floor with a loud thud.

"...Oww." She groaned.

"Are you all right?" The new voice asked her. Dizzily, Hamuko opened her eyes to see a hand out and waiting in front of her for her to take it. Hamuko gratefully took the person's hand and hoisted herself back up to her feet.

The lights were on again. After shaking her head a couple of times to snap out of her stupor, she saw the owner of the voice who had averted what might have been a crisis.

The voice belonged to another girl.

She was beautiful; much more pretty than herself. Her long maroon hair fell over her shoulders and curled at the back; fringe covered her left eye and a loose curl over her left shoulder. She wore a ruffled blouse and long skirt that accented her curves. An air of elegance covered her graciously, as if it were natural to her. She was struck Hamuko as someone who was queenly. Hamuko figured it was time to make a lasting impression.

…Or at least to try and salvage what was left of one.

"Are you all right?" The red head reiterated.

Hamuko nodded vigorously. "I'm fine. Thank you for helping me up."

"You're welcome." The red head nodded, while turning her gaze towards the girl in pink for a moment. Hastily, she hid the gun behind her back, and looked away. Hamuko stared wonderingly at the two before being addressed again. "I must say, I wasn't expecting you to arrive this late. I'm Mitsuru Kirijo, one of the students who live in this dorm."

"...Who's she?" The gun girl muttered with a wary look.

Just as Hamuko was about to open her mouth and speak, Mitsuru interrupted her.

"She's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign her here." Mitsuru said, giving a side glance to the auburn-haired girl. "She'll eventually be moved to a room in the normal dorm."

_' can't wait for that. Just what kind of dorm is this? _Hamuko thought blankly.

The girl in pink was still eying her suspiciously. Hamuko stared back at her with deadpan eyes. "Sempai, is it okay for her to be here...?"

_What's that supposed to mean? At least I don't go pointing guns at people…_

"I guess we'll see." Mitsuru replied vaguely.

Hamuko looked back and forth between the two, before frowning slightly. _Why are they pretending as if the last five minutes never happened? Something seems fishy._

"Oh." Mitsuru said suddenly. "You must be wondering who she is, aren't you?"

She sighed internally, and went along with it with a slight nod.

"This is Yukari Takeba; she'll be a junior this spring, just like you." She gesticulated to the girl in pink, who waved weakly.

"…Hi," She mumbled, looking down towards the floor. "I'm Yukari."

"I'm Hamuko Arisato. Nice to meet you." Hamuko made an elegant shrug of her shoulders before she twisted her lips into a frown.

Yukari blinked. "Uh... Is something wrong?"

"Why do you have a gun?" Hamuko blurted.

"Huh?" Yukari stuttered gawkily, making it quite clear to Hamuko that she wasn't expecting to be asked that. In fact, Yukari had twisted loose a pink thread from her pink blazer in her surprise. "Umm… Well, it's sort of like a hobby…"

Hamuko raised an eyebrow.

"Well, not exactly like a hobby… but…" She mumbled defensively. Yukari glanced at Mitsuru for support.

She obliged. "You know how it is these days; it's for self-defense." Hamuko gave her a skeptical look. Mitsuru paused before adding, "It's not a real gun, of course." If it wasn't real, why carry it around? Mitsuru then turned towards Hamuko in a business-like fashion. "It's getting late, so you should go get some rest. Your room is on the third floor at the end of the hallway. Your things should already be there as well."

"All right." Hamuko nodded as she knelt down to grab her bag.

"Oh, umm…" Yukari began to say quietly. She shot a quick look to Hamuko before gesturing to the stairs. "I'll show you the way. C'mon, follow me."

Hamuko quietly followed behind Yukari was she made her ascent up the stairs. It seemed like it took forever just to reach the third floor, due to the uncomfortable tension in the air. During this time, she wondered what life would be like here. It hadn't even been a full day, and she already had a gun pulled on her. Admittedly, she didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be at Iwatodai, period. It brought up painful memories she'd prefer to leave behind. Of course, her uncle said that it would be the best for her.

To face her past, as he put it.

"This is it," Yukari said abruptly with a hint of awkwardness. She motioned to the door at the end of the hallway. "Pretty easy to remember, huh? Y'know, since it's right at the end of the hall." She laughed slightly at her little joke before continuing. "So, any questions?"

"What was the contract for?" Hamuko asked.

"Contract?" She blinked, clearly ingenuous with her words. "What's this about a contract?"

Hamuko slapped the side of her cheek. Of course she doesn't know. That kid made it disappear… speaking of which, he disappeared too.

"Uh… are you okay?" Yukari asked concernedly.

"Yeah, sorry." Hamuko laughed nervously. "I just have a lot on my mind, to be honest."

"If you say so." She shrugged, before looking directly at Hamuko with an uncertain look. "…Um, can I ask you something?" Again, she averted her gaze to the side. "On your way here to the station, was everything okay?"

There were two ways she could let this play out. One would be to deliberately play dumb, and see whether the girl would slip information. The other way would be to just say, 'yes.'

Hamuko went with the latter.

"…What do you mean?" Hamuko asked inquisitively.

"You know what I-" She nearly yelled, before catching herself mid-sentence. "...Never mind." Yukari then sighed with relief, and smiled as though Hamuko had undergone some sort of perilous journey to arrive at the dorm. "It seems like you're all right."

Again, Hamuko shrugged. There was definitely something going on here. The question for her, however, was whether she really wanted to be involved.

There was a long awkward pause.

"Well, I'd better get going…" Yukari shifted uncomfortably under Hamuko's gaze. The red-eyed girl curtly nodded before walking over to the door, patting her pockets for a key she had received earlier. At the same time, Yukari began walking down the hallway. As soon as she reached midway, the brunette turned around and gave her a side glance. "Um, I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but let's save them for later, all right?"

_Damn straight._

"All right." She murmured as she managed to open the door.

"Anyway… good night." Yukari flashed a quick smile before retreating down the hallway. Hamuko averted her attention to back to her own business, and for the first time went inside the room she would be calling 'home' for the year.

Blinking steadily, her vision began blackening as she collapsed on her bed, and faded off into restful slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

_A younger version of herself stood out amidst the white background. Her stoic red gaze wasn't directed at anyone, due to a lack of other people. Her peach pink dress was partially wrinkled because she was clutching to it with her small hands. She looked ready to cry, but no such thing occurred. The girl stood still, merely staring into the emptiness of the white space._

_The 'real' Hamuko stood nearby in the background, staring at her eight-year old self._

_Echoing footsteps rang throughout the dreamscape. The setting began to change into a fuzzy blend of a park as a figure walked onto the scene. Hamuko was seated on a swing, rocking gently as the figure drew close. It was a man with a lean build; his hair was a deep blue, almost bordering a distinctive purple shade. The man looked no more than nineteen years of age. He spotted her sitting over on the swing set and walked over. He bent over, and looked at her eight year-old self from her eye level._

_"So this is where you've been, Hamu-chan?"_

_"Yes, uncle."_

_"You can call be by my first name if you want. I'm not that much older than you, you know." The man chuckled. "Hamu-chan, I heard my mom and dad talking about something the other day. They said that you liked to tell stories. Can you tell them to me?"_

_"…"_

_"…Did I say something wrong?"_

_She shook her head and gave an uneasy look to the man. "It's not a story. It happens when everyone goes to sleep. I told your mom and dad, but they didn't believe me. No one believes me." She said in a frustrated tone, balling up her small hands into fists. She obviously was expectant of some form of chiding from him._

_"I wouldn't say that." He said as he gave her a sympathizing look, much to her surprise._

_"You believe me?" She asked with a look of newfound admiration for the older boy._

_"Yep. I've gone through my fair share of crazy that you wouldn't believe. Trust me on that one, Hamu-chan." He nodded with a disarming grin. "So, can you tell me about it?"_

_Hamuko awkwardly stared at her shoes, but answered after a minute. "…After everyone goes to sleep, the moon turns green and people turn into coffins. Like the ones mommy, daddy, and big bro were in. And there's this weird boy who asks me to play with him."_

_"You know, it's very bad for kids your age to be awake past the time adults go to sleep." He said half jokingly before putting on a darker expression. "So… while everyone's asleep in their… coffins… someone speaks to you?" He gave her a concerned look before pressing further. "Am I awake during all this? How long has this been going on?"_

_"Since they died." She answered in a dull voice before shaking her head, much to the man's dismay and growing concern. "That weird boy says that he's sorry for me. But I don't know why he would be."_

_"…Neither do I." He muttered breathlessly, shaking his head to himself. A few moments later, his eyes lit up with sudden elation. "Wait. I think I've got just the thing."_

_"What is it, uncle?" She asked, tilting her head to the side._

_"Let's play a game, Hamu-chan."_

_"A game?"_

_"Don't worry, it's simple." He said encouragingly. "Y'see, after sis died, I promised myself I'd keep you safe… This'll protect you when I can't be there, since I can't look out for you all the time… Especially since our relatives aren't exactly happy with…" His voice trailed off as he nervously brought his hand over his face._

_She cocked her head once more, not quite understanding what her elder was getting to. He merely shook his head dismissively, before she asked, "What's the game called?"_

_"Hm? There's really no specific name for it." He said, taking a deep breath. "Now, Hamu-chan, repeat after me…"_

* * *

><p>Hamuko's eyes slowly fluttered open, much to her slight dismay. The shrill ring of her alarm clock buzzed repeatedly, until she lazily slapped her hand against it. The auburn-haired girl was admittedly a morning person, granted she wasn't fatigued before she fell asleep. Sometimes the status carried over, sometimes it didn't. Today, was one of the cases where it hadn't.<p>

Hamuko hummed to herself the new songs that Junpei had recommended for her as she changed into her uniform. He was right; she absolutely loved it. The tune was upbeat and fantastically catchy. As she hummed, she stalked off into the dorm's kitchen on the first floor, and began making pancakes.

…_That dream I had… _She thought absentmindedly while she cooked. _I don't remember anything like that happening before. Did it happen? Or was it just a dream?_

Soon enough, a sweet, pungent scent hung over the lounge. Content with her mouth-watering handiwork, she carried a plate of fresh pancakes outside of the kitchen, still humming.

If it did happen, then it undoubtedly happened while I was younger… but… how does it end? What did Uncle say to me? She twisted her lip into a pout when no answer came to her.

"Yukari, is that you?"

Hamuko found herself face to face with the gray-haired boy from yesterday. On a closer inspection, the boy had a lean build. His hair was indeed gray, almost bordering white. He had a bandage just above his left eye, but it wasn't really in the way of his charms. Yes, Hamuko admittedly thought he was attractive.

He was drawn by the smell of pancakes. The boy, realizing that she was not Yukari and that he was in her way, backed off a bit. He scratched his the back of his head awkwardly, before coming to terms with his blunder.

"…Sorry if I scared you." He said coolly, looking at Hamuko directly with his steel gray eyes.

"It's fine." She replied, while walking towards the counter.

"I haven't seen you around here before." The boy asked her blankly. "Are you new?"

_Great, I'm totally transparent…_

"I moved here about two days ago." Hamuko murmured, ignoring her previous thought as she placed the pancakes on the counter. She threw the boy a side-glance. "I'm Hamuko Arisato, a junior."

"I see." He nodded slightly. "I'm Akihiko Sanada, a senior."

Things got somewhat uncomfortable after they exchanged introductions. Akihiko hadn't said a word afterward. Hamuko assumed it was probably because he didn't know what to say. Was it because he didn't know what to say, or was he just socially awkward? Hamuko tilted her head somewhat as she glanced at the still warm pancakes. Was he staring at them? She shifted her gaze back to Akihiko. "…Uh… Do you want some?"

"Huh?" It was as if he had snapped out of a stupor of some sort. Hamuko smiled, stifling a giggle.

"Do you want some?" She reiterated. This time, it wasn't forced. "I don't think I can finish all these by myself." She wasn't exactly telling the truth. She had made that much knowing full well she could finish it all. Yet, Hamuko decided to offer some if it would relieve the situation of its awkwardness.

"Thanks." He embellished his gratitude by grabbing a plate out of the cupboard.

The two of them began to eat together, despite just meeting a few moments ago. Akihiko was much more talkative over food, Hamuko noted. As he talked, the auburn-haired girl listened intently, learning that Akihiko was the captain of the Gekkoukan's Boxing team, and that he lived on the dorm's second floor. He had lived there for as long as Mitsuru had, apparently.

"So you just came here about two days ago, huh…?" He asked, finally done eating his pancakes. He gave Hamuko a curious look before standing up from his seat. Hamuko tilted her head. Noticing that, the grey-haired boy shook his head dismissively. "No, it's nothing." Akihiko shot the girl a side glance as he turned towards the front door. "Thanks for breakfast, by the way."

He walked off without another word. Hamuko wasn't sure if the pain in her chest was the fluttering of her heart, or rumbling of her stomach. Either way, it in her mind it she concluded it was the latter. Looking down, she realized that she had barely touched her own food.

"Morning!" Yukari called out as she padded down the stairs.

"Good morning." Hamuko nodded, glazing her still warm pancakes with syrup as Yukari walked into view.

"Breakfast?" The brunette murmured aloud. Hamuko gave a quick nod of her head.

"Want some?" She offered, seeing that she somehow knew she wasn't going to get out of the situation with sacrificing a bit more of her breakfast. Much to her surprise, Yukari shook her head.

"Maybe some other time. I've gotta get going for club practice." Yukari mumbled half-heartedly, hinting that she would've enjoyed the offer. Instead, the brunette walked towards a toaster that Hamuko hadn't noticed before. She daintily inserted two slices of bread, and waited.

"You're in a club?" Hamuko asked inquisitively. Yukari gave a quick nod of her head.

"Yeah. I'm in the Archery Club." She replied absentmindedly. "If you didn't know, Mitsuru-senpai's the leader of Gekkoukan's Fencing Team, and Student Council President. Amazing, isn't she?" There was an ever so slight hint of scorn hidden within her words. Hamuko stared wondering at the girl as she continued eating. Did Yukari have something against Mitsuru? "Oh, are you thinking about joining a club?"

Hamuko nodded. "Eventually."

"Really." Yukari mumbled, jumping slightly with anticipation as lightly browned toast sprung from the toaster. Picking up the hot toast with a napkin, Yukari took a step towards the door. "Well, I don't really know what you like, but Gekkoukan's got a fencing team, a boxing team, a baseball team, a tennis team and a volleyball team, I think. Other than those, there's archery Club, a fashion club, an art club… I can't even remember them all. Not including the school committees either…" Yukari bit into her toast and chewed thoughtfully, before throwing a glance to Hamuko. "Anyway, if you're thinking about joining a club, you should go check it out for yourself."

_Does that include a gun club? _She thought as she munched on her pancakes. "That's what I plan on doing."

"Okay, cool." Yukari said with a mouthful of toast. Walking towards the exit, the brunette weakly waved her hand. "Anyway, I'm going to go now. See you later." With that, the brunette also left through the door, not bothering to wait for Hamuko to exchange a goodbye.

"…Bye." Hamuko mumbled feebly as the door slammed behind the pink swathed brunette.

No one else came downstairs, leaving Hamuko to guess that Mitsuru was already at school. She ate in the presence of no one, again wondering what kind of dorm her relatives had sent her to. Normally, dorms housed a lot of students depending on its size, and so far, she had only run into three people.

_What's the deal with this place? _Hamuko thought as she swallowed the last bite of her pancakes. It had a bitter aftertaste, much to her dissatisfaction.

* * *

><p>The beginning of her day was uneventful, that was for certain. She ran into gossiping girls at the front gate who were exchanging rumors, and stayed awake through Ms. Toriumi's tedious lesson. Junpei was unfortunate to be called on while he was slept behind his textbook.<p>

"Junpei! Hey, were you listening?" She barked. "Who did I say was my favorite author?"

"Uhh… " Junpei mumbled incoherently while he glanced around wildly, looking for a hint of some kind. Hamuko obliged. Writing the answer on a slip of paper, she nonchalantly slipped it to the side of her desk towards Junpei, who saw it immediately. "…It's Utsubo Kubota, right?"

"So you were listening to me after all!"

Junpei scratched his head with a sheepish grin plastered on his face. "Haha… Well, you do know how much I like to pay attention!"

"You sure don't show it."

"Harsh…" Junpei winced.

After Ms. Toriumi diverted her attention back to the white board, Junpei gave her a thumbs up. The two shared a quick grin before Hamuko turned her attention back to the lecture. In no time at all, the hours flew by. School was out before she knew it. As the majority of the class filed out the door, she found herself a straggler, alone in the empty classroom. Realizing that she had no one to hang out with, she decided to go back to the dorm. Of course, after she left the school, Hamuko realized something.

It was a beautiful afternoon.

Why waste the day just going home?

* * *

><p>After an hour or two of walking around, Hamuko had finally found it, much to her bittersweet delight. Despite the fact she hadn't been to Tatsumi Port Island in years, she still managed to remember the way to the memorial park near the Moonlight Bridge. The park itself was nothing too fancy; it just had a couple of park benches facing towards the sea, with some well-tended flowers patches that were blooming gaily. It brought back memories; back then, the Bridge was newly completed and this park was erected nearby in honor of it. Now, the structure was weather-worn as she expected, yet it still retained its charms.<p>

The park had a wonderful view; the ocean spread itself out to her as the sun shone over the horizon and the bridge's arched silhouette, showering world with golden daylight. The sea breeze tickled Hamuko's nostrils, slightly chilling her as she took a seat on an empty stone bench. She had forgotten how breathtaking the view was. The Moonlight Bridge… It was the place where her family perished ten years ago in some car accident. Or at least, that's what it seemed like.

Where had all the time gone? Hamuko remembered the day she lost her family, but how she lost them, she was not certain of. Her mother, Shizuka, and her father, Hayate were driving home that day. It was really late so she had been half-asleep; she was sitting in the back of the car with her older brother. Her older brother, or her fraternal twin, was only than her by a couple of minutes but that was all the difference it made. She was leaning on his shoulder, before everything went to hell.

Everything afterwards was a blur, but the undeniable truth was that he was gone, along with her mother and father. She missed them- she missed him the most. If he was still alive, he would've been in the same grade as her. Maybe if he was alive, she wouldn't be so lonely. Perhaps everything would've been different, but what did she know? Hamuko bounced her heels tentatively against the stone benches, with a deep an contemplative look etched onto her features.

"'Scuse me kiddo, but are you all right?"

Her train of thought shattered into pieces as she blinked her glazed eyes. Glancing up, Hamuko noticed a woman in her mid twenties, maybe her late twenties. She had jet black hair that draped over her shoulders and swathe blue suit, and a bright inquisitive expression.

"Good to see signs of life! For a moment I thought you were coming down with Apathy syndrome or something. You've been staring out towards the coast for a while." The woman remarked with a lighthearted smile. "Something on your mind?"

"I-It's nothing…!" Hamuko said quickly, obviously flustered at the stranger's sudden appearance. Just who was this lady? Why was she talking to her in the first place?

"It doesn't seem like 'nothing' to me." The woman grinned playfully. "Come on, girl. Spill it. Tell me what's got you looking so down!"

Hamuko blinked. "Eh?"

"Being coy because I'm a stranger, hmm?" She pouted, closing her eyes before moving her gaze towards the sea. "Well, it's a good thing for kids to be wary these days, but this is a good city, you know? It kind of reminds me of my hometown, although back in Sumaru they didn't have views as nice as this." The woman scratched her head with an apologetic smile, before looking back at the auburn-haired girl. "Sorry if I'm bugging you. It just rubs me the wrong way to see a kid your age looking so down."

So that explained it. Hamuko sighed. "Sorry. It's my first time coming here in years, and well, I guess I'm feeling a bit nostalgic." Hamuko explained obligingly. "Is that weird?"

"Not at all!" The woman exclaimed. "Though, it's surprising to see someone your age reminiscing. If you don't mind telling me, was it a good or bad memory?"

Hamuko's gaze fell to her shoes. "Bad."

"Ouch." The woman winced before giving a sorry look. "Sorry for prying… but hey, you know what?" Before Hamuko could even reply, the woman continued. "Good or bad, a memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, or the things you never want to lose. With that in mind, does it seem so bad? Everyone's had their bad experiences, kiddo. Whether they seem 'bad' or not, it all depends on your view on things! Y'know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah." Hamuko looked back up towards the woman and smiled slightly. In response, the woman's grin only grew wider. She was obviously pleased with herself.

"Great! Look on the bright side of life, kiddo. If you spend all your time brooding about things you can't change, you'll never be able to move forward. Let's think positive!" With a satisfied look, the woman then nodded to herself.

"I'll keep that in mind." Hamuko replied with a smile.

"Good to hear." She grinned again before looking out towards the coast before uttering a small gasp. "Whoops! It's already getting dark. Sorry for taking up your time, kiddo. Let's talk elsewhere some other time."

"All righ-"

"Ciao~!" The woman ran off without another word, just as the sun began sinking below the horizon. Hamuko waved until she was out of sight, before realizing that she had never gotten the woman's name.

She shrugged to herself as the wind began picking up, and left towards the direction of the dorm.

* * *

><p>"Oh, she's finally back." Yukari said as soon as she came walking through the door.<p>

Was it just Hamuko's imagination, or was Yukari emphasizing the 'finally'? As she took off her shoes, Hamuko noticed a glasses-wearing man in a beige pea-breasted coat was sitting in the lounge.

"So, this is our new guest…" He said, sizing Hamuko up as Yukari beckoned her to come closer. As she did, the man took over and motioned for Hamuko to take a seat on one of the couches that decorated the lounge. As she took a seat, the man never took his stare off of her. Creepy, was the first word that came to her mind. "Good evening."

"Good evening." Hamuko replied. The man's mouth twisted into an lenient smile.

"You must be wondering who I am, aren't you? I'm Shuji Ikutsuki, the chairman of the board for your school." He professed, before chuckling slightly while he folded his arms. "…'Ikutsuki'. He repeated. "Hard to say, isn't it?"

"Not really." Hamuko answered truthfully. Whether he decided to ignore the remark or not, he continued.

"Nonetheless, it's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes…" He murmured with an earnest gaze.

_That sounds like an excuse. _Hamuko shrugged to herself. "I'm Hamuko Arisato. Nice to meet you, Ikutsuki-san."

"I know all about you." He chuckled. Hamuko shifted uneasily in her seat. Was she supposed to laugh? "School files, you know. I am the chairman of the board… even if it isn't personally, I'm still supposed to read up on our student and their backgrounds. Nonetheless, it's nice to meet you too." Hamuko raised an eyebrow. Before continuing, Ikutsuki pushed up his glasses. "I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. However, it may be a while before you receive a proper room assignment."

"But I didn't complain." Hamuko uttered with a slight hint of protest. More or less, she slightly enjoyed living here. No, rather, she didn't have a problem living here, even if it meant there was a gun club or something.

_Maybe I'll get to watch something big happen if I stick around._

Straightening up, Ikutsuki smiled curiously. "That's good to hear. Nonetheless, is there something you'd like to ask?"

'Something' implied that she wanted to know something. Which also implied that he was hiding something. Hamuko gave him a blank look. Whether he was being curious or not, she was too busy noticing the hints of expectancy glimmering in the elder man's eyes. With a slightly annoyed look, the auburn-haired teenager shook her head. "No, it's fine."

"Really now?" Ikutsuki peered through his glasses. "Wouldn't you like to learn about the others who live here?"

"I'll meet them eventually."

"All in due time, I suppose. After all, time doesn't stand still." Ikutsuki chuckled. "How are you liking Tatsumi Port Island? Did anything happen?"

Was he expecting something to happen? Or was he referring to the time Yukari pulled a gun on her? "Nothing out of the ordinary." She answered hesitantly. Why in the world was he asking her all these questions? Did he want something from her?

Ikutsuki looked at Hamuko closely from where he sat, sporting a look of peculiar interest. His glasses shone in the bright lamplight, making them mask over his eyes completely. "Really? Nothing?"

"…" Annoyed, Hamuko crossed her legs and grumbled irately, "What kind of question is that?"

"Ah. Forgive me for my rudeness. That kind of just slipped out." Ikutsuki retreated, lifting his head back with an awkward look. "Anyhow, I'm sorry for keeping you. I hope you have a successful school year… but that aside, you must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early."

"I think I'll do just that." _The sooner I get away from this guy, the better._

"As the say," Ikutsuki paused dramatically. "'Early bird catches the book worm'!"

Somewhere, Hamuko imagined a drum set falling off a cliff somewhere. Grimacing, she glanced at Yukari who was also making a face.

"Please forgive the bad pun, heh."

Rubbing her forehead, Hamuko gingerly stood up and began walking towards the stairs. Yukari, who was cringing, managed to follow the same suit. The teen gave her a thoughtful look speaking up. "…You'll get used to his lame jokes. Eventually." She said conclusively.

Waving her hand dismissively, Hamuko shot the brunette a sneaky glance. "…I don't think so. Instead, I swear the next time he makes a pun like that, I'll throw something at him."

"But he is the chairman… wouldn't you get in trouble for something like that?" Yukari chastised. Hamuko made an elegant shrug of her shoulders. "I don't really blame you though. Are you really going to bed?"

"Yeah." Hamuko yawned. "What about you?"

"Oh… I've gotta take care of some stuff first." She replied tentatively, turning her gaze over to a nearby chair. Hamuko frowned in response. From the way she said it, it seemed she was definitely hiding something.

"Well, don't stay up too late, Takeba-san." She said finally before heading up the stairs towards her room. Yukari nodded before heading back to the lounge.

* * *

><p>After going to bed with the unshakable paranoia that she was being watched, Hamuko didn't know what to think when her eyes opened effortlessly afterwards. She was greeted by the soft singing of a woman, and ephemeral flashing lights that stung her eyes.<p>

Adjusting her eyes to the flashing lights, Hamuko gaped in amazement. She seemed to be in a giant, elevator-like room. The back wall was sealed off with a complex chain fence, with an ever-turning dial. Doors along the side of the room were covered in white sheets that fluttered at their edges. A simple, circular table laid innocently in the middle of the room in front of the person who seemed to be its master. Seated on an ornate, velvet blue loveseat was an old man with an inhumane appearance. His eyes bulged out of his sockets, and a Cheshire-like grin was stretched tautly on the old man's face. His balding, wispy white hair was brushed behind his point ears. With a breath, he began to speak.

"Welcome…" The old man's voice had an airy quality. His grin grew only wider as he stared unwaveringly at her. "Welcome… to the Velvet Room."

"My name is Igor… I am delighted to make your acquaintance." He continued to speak, as the gentle rumbling of the elevator continued upwards. Hamuko ceased glancing around before finally fixing her gaze on the old man. "If you indeed wondering… this place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter…" He paused briefly, as if to add a dramatic effect. Hamuko really saw no point to it, due to the fact this was probably the weirdest dream she had ever had. Nonetheless, Igor continued his drawl. "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place."

With a wave of his hand, the red booklet she had found and signed the other night was innocently lying on the table. Her eyes widened in surprise. How did he know about it?

"Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room." Igor's enigmatic smile matched up to his expectant stare. Hamuko suddenly wished she hadn't signed that contract. "You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help in order to do so."

"To do what?" She asked inquisitively with a curious look.

"…You will know when the time is right." Igor answered obligingly as his fingertips fluttered against each other. "I only ask one thing in return…" He paused briefly, taking a deep inhale. "…That you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

"Understandable." Hamuko murmured thoughtfully, even though she didn't quite understand the first part of his drawl. With a stare, the old man nodded at her once before waving his hand.

"Hold onto this…" A key of dark blue fell into her hand as she stared wonderingly at Igor. The old man's fingers fluttered against each other again. "There is still one more resident of this room, who unfortunately could not be present for your arrival. But I will make sure you two are properly introduced. Another time, perhaps."

"I'll look forward to it, I guess." Hamuko shrugged slightly, but smiled nonetheless. In return, the old man laughed at her, but not unkindly.

"'Til we meet again…"

* * *

><p>Hamuko opened her eyes blankly, as she shifted the seats and sat up in her bed. She glanced around absentmindedly before lifting her clenched hand from the blankets. Lying in her palm, was the ornate blue key she had received in the Velvet Room.<p>

"…So it wasn't just a dream?" She murmured distractedly as she played with the key in her hand. Sighing, Hamuko glanced to her left and picked up her alarm clock to read that it was still rather early. With a smirk, she clenched her hand and jumped out of bed ecstatically.

"I get the feeling something good's going to happen today." She whistled cheerfully.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, nothing eventful happened today, other than hanging out with Yukari at the Paulownia Mall.<p>

Now, Hamuko was back in her room at the dorm, lying on her bed. Surprisingly, she felt rather tired from her shopping with Yukari. While they were walking earlier, they had a heated discussion about what kinds of sweets were the best. In the end, they had agreed on that all sweets were equally delicious. Especially cake.

Her room was dark, though having the lights off usually had that effect. She felt her eyes steadily closing from drowsiness, deeper and deeper she was lulled into sleep…

How she wished for things to last this way.

A sudden tremble accompanied by a loud noise shook Hamuko awake. It was still dark outside, with the sky still a suffocating green color.

It was 'that time'.

Wonderingly, the auburn-haired girl shifted out of the covers and began dressing in her uniform, seeing as it was the only thing out and presentable in the night. She didn't bother to tie the ribbon as she walked to the door to investigate. At the same time, something smashed against it.

"WAKE UP!" Yukari's voice broke through the quiet of the night as the door swung open. "Sorry, but I'm coming in!"

It was Yukari, clearly terrified as she had been the other night. The gun and holster was clipped to her thigh, a red armband adorned her left arm, and she brandished a naginata wildly. Hamuko took a step back to give her room.

"What's going o-"

"Look, I don't have time to explain!" She snapped. "We have to get out of here, now!"

This time, Hamuko didn't argue. With a quick nod of her head, she began to follow Yukari when she stumbled as the dorm shook again. There was no way that was a natural earthquake.

What on earth was going on?

"Hurry, downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!" Yukari yelled. She turned to leave, before quickly swerving around. She held out the long shafted weapon to Hamuko. A naginata, if she recalled correctly. "…Take this, just in case."

With another nod, Hamuko quickly took the weapon. Both began running downstairs as the dorm continued to spasm violently between intervals.

"Over here!" She called, running over to the door in the back of the room. She stopped to catch her breath, but just then, her eyes widened.

"Y-Yes? I hear you!" Evidently, she was talking to someone. She listened quietly for a few moments before uttering a loud "WHAT?"

At that very moment, something slammed against the back door repeatedly, to the point where it threatened to bust down the thing completely. Fearfully, Yukari glanced at Hamuko and gulped.

"L-Let's go back!"

Hamuko and Yukari both fled to the upper levels of the dorm. As the reached the second floor, the sound of glass shattering broke out, and another slam and crash hinted at the door's apparent demise. Slithers from the floor below grew closer, as did the smashing and destruction.

"Oh god, they're downstairs!" She yelped. Grabbing Hamuko's arm, she pulled her closer to the stairs. "I-It's getting closer!" Yukari panicked. "We have to keep going!"

The two eventually reached a steel door. Shakily, Yukari input the password and pulled Hamuko through the door as it swung open. They went through the iron door to the open roof, and Yukari locked it behind defiantly. She leaned back against it and sighed in relief. "Alright, we should be safe now-"

As if to spite her, the building shook again. Hamuko, for the first in a long time, experienced terror.

A blue mask poked over the edge of the building, held by a pitch black hand. A massive hand, with a palm the size of a large brick, a cinderblock almost. The hand turned it left, then right, as if it was trying to distinguish its surroundings.

Then, the mask finally stopped at Hamuko.

It moved forward a few inches as if to get a better look at the auburn-haired girl, when another hand reached up to pull itself onto the roof. Many hands followed the same suit as it hefted itself over the side of the dorm. Hamuko's eyes widened in fright.

There wasn't even a body. It was a writhing mass of limbs, with a mask held aloft.

She was frozen.

Panicking, her thoughts began racing. It was just hands and arms. She could use the naginata slice them off, right? Unfortunately, as the damned monstrosity of arms cleared over the railing, she was proven wrong. It carried brightly shining swords, each bigger than her.

"O-Oh my god…" Hamuko gaped as she took a few involuntary steps back. The monster darted at them, brandishing all its swords that glimmered in the murky moonlight. "W-What is that thing?"

"Those monsters…" Yukari finally spoke as she put herself between the monster and Hamuko. "We call them Shadows…" Yukari explained, standing up and drawing the gun.

If not for her fear, Hamuko would have questioned why Yukari had put it against her forehead.

She pulled the trigger, and there was a surge of light accompanied with the sound of shattering glass. Several pillars of wind shot up. It whipped around the pair furiously as Hamuko cringed, lifting her arms up to shield herself from the vicious winds.

Yukari on the other hand gasped. She was just as scared as she was, but nonetheless she pulled the trigger again. The monster- the Shadow completely disregarded it- it lashed out and knocked her aside with a bare hand. She skidded away, leaving Hamuko in clear view.

"TAKEBA-SAN!" Hamuko screamed, but didn't move. The brunette was several feet away, struggling to get back to her feet. She was alive.

On the other hand, Hamuko was merely inches away from death, and she knew it. She was terrified. She took a step back, but the Shadow darted closer, and closer until it was only a few feet away… and stopped to raise its multitude of blades- all pointed at her.

Why did the monster attack Yukari with a bare hand when it has all those swords?

It didn't care about Yukari.

Why?

_Because you're the threat._

Hamuko finally noticed Yukari's gun lying by her feet. Hesitantly, she picked it up, and stared. There was no magazine slot, so it couldn't be loaded. Her throat tightened nonetheless.

Why did Yukari put it to her head?

Suddenly, Hamuko's heart bashed against her rib cage. The sound of her heartbeat rung in her ears. Time seemed to slow itself as her senses tingled, picking up everything.

The strange boy from the other night appeared to her, and pointed his finger against his head He smiled gently with anticipation.

_Go on..._

The 'gun' was ice cold.

It was heavy in her hand.

Why had Yukari put the gun to her head, instead of firing it at the Shadow?

Hamuko winced at the thought. Her heart raced faster as the scene of her pulling the trigger flashed itself in her mind.

In an act of defiance, she stared into the expressionless mask of the Shadow as everything went dead quiet.

Blood was coursing through her veins; she hyperventilated constantly despite her attempts to calm down.

Beads of cold sweat were running down her face.

She shakily lifted the gun to her temple, and clutched at her chest.

It was getting hard to breath.

…

Life was flashing before her eyes. She could see scenes from her childhood, as she shut her eyes tightly and gasped.

Everything stopped.

The scene from the dream she had other night flashed in her mind clearly, despite her panic.

_"What's the game called?"_

_"Hm? There's really no specific name for it." Her uncle said calmly said as he took a deep breath. "Now, Hamu-chan, repeat after me…"_

_His lips moved, but no sound came from them. All the same, the words formed themselves in her mind._

She was over taken by an eerie calm as she opened her eyes. As if in a trance, Hamuko's lips curled up into a sinister smile. Her eyes glowed a bloody crimson in the shadowed moonlight as she took a sharp breath.

_"Per… so… na…"_

She pulled the trigger without flinching.

An ice cold bullet penetrated Hamuko's skull, and through the other side of her head shards of ethereal glass and haze spiraled around her. She didn't realize she was smiling, nor did she realize what the torrent of blue glass was forming in the air.

_Thou art I… and I am Thou…_

_From the sea of thy Soul, I cometh…_

_I am Eurydice, Maiden of the Abyss…_

Hamuko's grin grew wider as Eurydice shrieked in rage at the Shadow. She found herself laughing quietly, only to grow louder and louder and louder-

She choked.

Her skull rang intensely as she clutched her head and fell to her knees. It was like someone, _something_ was ripping her mind in two. Eurydice contorted and jerked violently as gloved hands tore through her head and ripped it off brutally as pieces and fragments flew through the air. Hamuko coughed blood as she clutched her head, screaming all the while.

Something was in front of her. Straining to fight the pain, she saw a gargantuan figure dressed in black and navy, with a cape of coffins floating behind it. Chains clattered as it clenched the sword in its hand.

Whatever it was, it roared inhumanely with rage and bloodlust as it lunged for the shadow.

It beat on the shadow like it was nothing. It tore its limbs one by one, practically ripping it asunder in a fit of unhindered brutality. The brute roared hungrily as it continued smashing and tearing of the shadow's limbs, until only a hand and mask was left in a mound of black ichor. It finally slashed its turquoise mask cleanly in two with its sword, sweeping the hand towards Yukari. Hamuko could hear the brunette blanch and gasp at the sight as the dismembered arm sailed in her direction and wriggled, still alive.

Hamuko didn't care though. She was too transfixed on the T-rex helmed Persona floating before her.

"…Thanatos." She muttered inaudibly as its roar echoed through the gloomy sky. With a blink of an eye, it reverted back to Eurydice, before disappearing altogether. She stared breathlessly at the full moon looming in the horizon, as she slowly came to her senses.

Despite the fact that her heart was still racing, Hamuko glanced at Yukari.

"Is it over…?" The brunette asked timidly, still sitting on the ground.

Tiredly, Hamuko glanced back at the direction where the large shadow had been. Before she could answer, she noticed two 'pieces' of the shadow were creeping closer to both girls, but it was quite clear that both were darting towards Yukari because she was easier prey. Apparently, she had noticed too.

Trembling, the brunette skittered back while shouting, "N-No! Stay away from me!"

Hamuko took a quick breath as she snatched up the naginata she had dropped earlier. She put herself in front of Yukari defiantly, and glowered at the incoming shadows.

The first shadow leapt at her, but she quickly swung the blade down against it, batting it in the air. The turquoise mask cracked underneath the force of the swing. At the same time, the second leapt at her. Quickly shifting her stance, she sliced through the black gunk and severed away one of its many arms.

But she had forgotten about the first. It quickly hammered its hands against her in a claw-like fashion, knocking the Naginata away and slamming her against the wall, causing her to cough out more blood. It tasted of dull iron, but moreover, it hurt. Furiously, Hamuko grit her teeth as she fired off the gun against her temple. "I summon you!"

Eurydice erupted from the shards and glass and dove towards the first shadow, promptly bashing its heart shaped instrument against the turquoise mask. It messily broke it two, causing black slime to splatter in all directions as the shadow itself dissipated into nothingness while Eurydice followed the same suit. Getting back to her feet, Hamuko hastily sprinted to her fallen weapon.

An abrupt noise caused Hamuko's neck to swerve to the side. The second shadow was jumping at her. Quickly, she opted to kicking the shadow away with a simple, but effective front kick. While the shadow was forced back from the impact, she picked up and stabbed the naginata into the mess of arms, grinding the dull blade against the splintering mask.

"LOOK OUT!"

A third she hadn't seen before smacked her away from the second, causing her to drop her naginata yet again. But she was stunned at the sight before her. The third was eating the already dying shadow. Howls of inhumane agony sounded through the air, making Hamuko sick to her stomach. Fear seized her, yet she pressed onward. With a scowl, Hamuko raised the gun to her temple once more, summoning Eurydice to strike the shadow away.

The second was gone now. Instead, the third had somehow transformed. Its mask was now a slant-eyed opera mask. Hungrily, it lurched and lunged towards the auburn-haired girl only to be struck down by Eurydice. Again, armed with the naginata, Hamuko followed up on the suit and stabbed through the shadow's mask, but it still wasn't enough.

"I've had enough of you!" She snarled. The shadow hissed in response as Hamuko slammed the butt of the gun against the end of the naginata, giving it the final push it needed to shatter the shadow's mask.

It gurgled one last time before exploding into a black, disgusting pile of ichor. Hamuko grimaced, before dropping the naginata repulsively. She trembled violently. Turning towards Yukari, she noticed that the brunette was giving her the same look as the first time she had seen her. She was terrified, but Hamuko couldn't really blame her.

With a frail smile, the auburn-haired girl collapsed against the cold, bloodstained concrete of the roof as the world grew a dim black, melting into the nothingness of unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"It's so nice to see you again."<p>

Hamuko woke with a start, only to be greeted by a surreal amount of velvet blue, accompanied with occasional flashing lights. Confused and tired, she glanced wearily around the Velvet Room. Lifting her head up, she saw Igor was sitting across from her, with his Cheshire-like grin etched upon his face. If Hamuko wasn't mistaken, she could hear a slight hint of eagerness in the old man's voice.

"You became unconscious after awakening to your 'power'." He explained serenely. "Usually, this happens to those who have just awakened for the first time. It is nothing to be concerned about, so relax…"

Hamuko, who was slightly more awake than before, groggily shifted into a more comfortable position as Igor continued to speak. "I see it was Eurydice that heeded your calling. How fascinating…" He added as an afterthought, but continued seamlessly. "That power is called a 'Persona'. In the simplest terms, it is a manifestation of your Psyche given physical form."

"…That sounds familiar. Per-so-na." She syllabicated absentmindedly before blinking with a look of realization. "Persona. That… that's the game my uncle played with me when I was a little girl…" Confused, Hamuko shook her head unsteadily before turning her gaze to Igor. "What exactly do you mean? Persona? My Psyche?"

Igor chuckled with an unsurprised look at Hamuko's revelation. "A touched memory, perhaps? No matter." Waving his hand dismissively, the old man closed his as he began to explain. "A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli… You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

"Makes sense." Hamuko murmured, tilting her head slightly. "A Persona... that's what 'Eurydice' is?"

"It was she who heeded your calling during your time of need." Igor replied informatively. "When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. The ability evolves as you forge Social Links- your emotional bonds with others." The old man's grin grew ever wider as Hamuko gave him a pressing look. "The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your ability to summon Personae becomes. As of the moment, your power is still weak."

After taking all of that into account, Hamuko nodded finally with a slight smile. She could deal with being weak.

"For the moment, perhaps you are… Only time will tell." Igor nodded ever so slightly before opening his eyes again. "Please remember that, my dear."

From across the room, Hamuko gave the old man a thumbs up.

"Now then…" Igor's fingertips fluttered as the Velvet room sped up considerably. He nodded quietly as he continued to speak. "Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time… you will come here of your own accord."

The flashes of light sped up, blinding Hamuko's vision with a brilliant white. Somberly, as her mind began to cloud, she closed her eyes as Igor's last words rang out.

"Until next time… farewell."

* * *

><p>When the white faded away, Hamuko found her eyes opening unsteadily. Blinking several times to adjust her sight, she groggily turned to the left to see an astounding view of Tatsumi Port Island. To her numb surprise, Yukari Takeba was sitting there, gazing out the window. It took her a few moments, but the brunette finally realized that she was awake.<p>

"You're awake…!" She said in a hushed voice, sighing with relief a moment after. Yukari's body tensed before continuing, though it was apparent she was trying her best not to show it. Was she worried? "Um… how are you feeling?"

Sitting up, Hamuko realized that she was in a hospital. As she pushed away the blankets, she rubbed her shoulder stiffly while flashing an apologetic smile to the brunette. "…I've had better days. Have you been here long?"

"Oh no, not really…" Yukari's voice trailed off as she sighed again. This time, she had small smile on her face. "But really… Thank goodness you finally came to. I was so worried about you." She said sincerely.

With a puzzled expression, Hamuko frowned slightly. "Eh? Why?"

"You've been asleep for a week, sleepyhead." Yukari chided, as her posture relaxed. "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said that you were just exhausted…"

"Well, I say the doctor got the diagnosis right." Hamuko mused languidly. Yukari laughed slightly before looking downward. Worried, the auburn-haired girl gave her a questioning look. "Is something wrong?"

"Um…" She began to say, trying to find the words. Yukari's head hung down in shame. "…I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." Hamuko murmured with a reproachful tone.

"No, I _do_." Yukari shook her head with an insistent tone. "You protected me… Even though I was supposed to protect you. But even so… I couldn't do anything." Sighing, Yukari gazed into Hamuko's eyes and began speaking with clear admiration. "Though… your power. It was amazing… and you didn't even think twice before putting yourself in front of those Shadows! The way you fought… was that really the first time you've ever done that?"

"Speaking of which," Hamuko interrupted. "What are they? You call them 'Shadows'?"

"They're what we're fighting against." Yukari nodded. "And that power you used to defeat them, it's called-"

"Persona." Hamuko finished for her. Yukari nodded again.

"You would know, wouldn't you? You said that right before you summoned… that thing." She shuddered slightly before continuing. "How'd you know how to summon anyway?"

"Hmm." Hamuko cocked her head thoughtfully. "I don't know? It was kind of like one of those moments where your body moves on its own." Hamuko shrugged. "Instinct, maybe?"

"Who knows." Yukari murmured softly, taking a moment to stand up from her seat. "We'll explain everything later. And… I'm sorry for not telling you before. I… I wanted to tell you…" She began to say, looking slightly discouraged. "…I'm sorta like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… My dad died in an accident when I was little… and my mom and I aren't exactly on speaking terms. You're all alone too, right?" She asked quietly, as she gazed out towards the cityscape in the distance.

"…Yeah." Hamuko nodded solemnly.

"To be honest, I already know about your past… but it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine…" She took a deep breath; her eyes glazed over as she began to speak again. A pained look was slowly making its way to Yukari's face as she spoke. "It was back in '99… There was a big explosion in the area. My dad supposedly died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened… He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."

Heaving a sigh, Yukari turned towards Hamuko. "I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find something out. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you." She turned away again, looking more dejected than before. "Of course, I panicked and I wasn't much help… It was my first time fighting them too. I'm sorry…" This time, the brunette looked much more frustrated. She was clenching her fists tightly to her sides as she continued on. "If I hadn't been such a coward, you wouldn't have had to go through any of this…"

"It's not your fault." Hamuko said kindly, with a slight smile. "I mean, I was scared too. You shouldn't blame yourself, Yukari-san."

Yukari again relaxed herself, and smiled apologetically at the auburn-haired girl. "Thanks… but still…" With a sigh, she looked downward and absentmindedly began playing with a loose thread from her skirt. Abruptly, she stopped and met Hamuko's gaze with an exasperated look.

"Listen to me; I'm making myself sound like a victim when you're the one who risked your life…! Not only that, but I've been telling you all of this since the minute you woke up." She paused, trying to find the correct words. "While I was waiting, I thought to myself, 'I've been hiding so many things from her… as soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her the truth.'"

"And thank you for doing so." Hamuko grinned, causing Yukari to perk up a little. With a small laugh, the brunette smiled contently. "And don't worry about it either, Yukari-san. I can understand what you're going through."

"R-Really?" Apparently, she was surprised with Hamuko's display of compassion. Hamuko decided to drive the nail home. It wouldn't be bad to have a friend, would it?

"Really." Hamuko's hair bounced as she nodded thoughtfully. Now that Hamuko had gotten to know her, she figured that the pretty brunette wasn't as bad as she first thought. With a smile, she murmured brightly, "What are friends for?"

"Friends?" Again, that caught Yukari off guard. After a moment, she smiled brightly in response. "Thanks for listening… to be honest, I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time." She admitted.

"Hehe. No problem." Hamuko replied lightheartedly.

"Thanks again. Oh, and before I get going, I guess I should explain that we called your uncle about you getting admitted into the hospital."

"Which one?" Hamuko asked with a questioning look.

"Umm… he had a funny name. Narumi-something? I didn't personally call him, Mitsuru-sempai did." Yukari scratched her head with a slight frown. "Anyway, he sounded really worried about you, so you should call him when you up to it. Until then, you should get some rest, okay?"

"All right."

"I'll let the others know that you've woken up." She informed as she began walking towards the door. Unexpectedly, Yukari turned around just as she reached the door, and smiled. "I know this is kind of late, but you don't need to be formal around me or anything. Us second-year girls gotta stick up for each other after all." Yukari's face took a delicate shade of pink as she waved her hand hastily while uttering a goodbye.

Hamuko on the other hand felt content, albeit a bit tired. Yawning, she noticed her MP3 player and headphones were lying innocently by her bedside. Eagerly, she clipped the earphones over her ears and began listening avidly.

She would have to thank Yukari later.


	3. Chapter 3

Hamuko was released from the hospital quite a while after yesterday's talk with Yukari, due to last minute check ups from the doctor. As it turned out, she ran into Mitsuru and Akihiko on the way out, just as they were going their way in. She decided to stick around and wait for Akihiko to finish his appointment while in the meantime Mitsuru told her why he was going to the hospital in the first place. Despite the pain wasn't hers, she winced when she found out.

"Two fractured ribs and a broken arm, huh?" Hamuko mused to herself while she walked closer to the school. The shadows must've done it, she thought. Hamuko felt lucky, considering that she had escaped the battle with an entire week's worth of rest and a sore shoulder. The said shoulder was what she had landed on during her own skirmish with the shadows, and even still it hurt. While she walked, she rubbed it gingerly in an attempt to ease the dull ache.

"Yo!" Before she could turn around, Junpei's hand unexpectedly slapped her sore shoulder. Cringing in pain, Hamuko turned around with teary eyes, and glared. "Haven't seen you around in a whi… whoa." Junpei raised an eyebrow with obvious confusion. "What's with THAT look?"

Smiling a dangerously, Hamuko gave the cap-wearing teenager a sharp jab to his side with her elbow. Apparently, she had hit him harder than expected, for he had ended up yelping and dropping his school bag from the pain. He was probably over exaggerating for all she knew.

"Hey, hey! What the hell was that for?" He yelled as he rubbed his side tentatively. With a slight scowl, Hamuko picked up his bag and handed it to him with something along the lines of a callous expression.

"Payback." She stated simply.

"For just what, might I ask?" Junpei asked exasperatedly. He grudgingly took his bag out of Hamuko's waiting hand.

"Because you hit me. That, and you really shouldn't let Karma build up."

"What, it didn't hurt THAT much, did it? Karma's a load of crap anyway. Don't tell me you believe in all those freaky voodoo things too." Junpei retorted sullenly, before pausing to catch up with Hamuko, who was walking at a rapid pace. "But it didn't hurt, right?"

She paused briefly to find the correct analogy, and gave him an informative look as she began to speak. "You know when one of your legs fall asleep, and you feel that weird numb and tingly feeling that you dislike so much that you stamp your foot against the ground to make it wake up, despite how much it throbs and hurts?"

He understood that much. "What about it?"

Hamuko resumed her normal pace, and glanced at the cap-wearing boy. "That's how my shoulder felt, and you slapping it didn't help."

"Ouch." He cringed slightly. "Sorry 'bout that."

"It's okay." Hamuko chirped as her momentary bout of annoyance left her.

"Though, to be honest, seeing you make that face was worth it." Junpei grinned goofily much to Hamuko's dismay. "Oh come on, don't be like that. You looked so friggin' moe back there that it was hilarious."

"I don't know if I should take that as an insult or a compliment. Do I look like I'm from an anime?" Hamuko replied irksomely.

It was if a switch was flipped. Jokingly and dramatically, Junpei held a finger in front of her face. "Let's see, overly foreign looking appearance? Weird Hair color? Check. Stereotypical Transfer Student that most of the dudes are swooning over? Check. Moe tendencies? Check!" Junpei said smugly. "Do I have to keep going?"

"Sure, sure. And while we're at it, we can pretend we're video game characters going to school. If you haven't noticed, Mitsuru-sempai and Akihiko-sempai have 'funny' hair colors too." Hamuko replied off handedly. So Junpei was a closet otaku? Not that she wouldn't have guessed.

"Well, Mitsuru-sempai probably dyes it or something and Akihiko-sempai uses bleach. I mean, there's no natural way to have hair in that color, right? And how do you know Akihiko-sempai? You haven't been at school for very long." Junpei asked pointedly, to which Hamuko gave a shoddy shrug of her shoulders.

"I ran into him once."

"Makes sense." He nodded absentmindedly. Nonetheless, Junpei switched over to a new topic. "…Games, huh? Heh, I think I can picture it now: the main character walking to school with a hot babe. Or something. Or is that the other way around in this situation? What kind of game would that be? A Galge? Or would it be an Otome in your case?" He grimaced. "Talk about boring. I'm more of an RPG kind of guy! Action all the way!"

With that reaction, she mentally tallied video games as something he really liked, but something he couldn't stand was thinking through scenarios. That IS what Galge were about after all…

"I could've figured that." She laughed, much to Junpei's delight.

"Anyway! I got something to tell ya."

"Hmm? What is it?" Hamuko asked curiously. Junpei rubbed his nose with a complacent look, eager to say whatever information he held for her, but instead he stopped himself. His thoughts on the matter easily bled though his face, and in the end, he smiled somewhat apologetically.

"Well… Actually, never mind. You'll find out sooner or later." He smirked. "'Sides, I'm not supposed to tell anyone anyway. But let me tell you this- I can't WAIT to see Yuka-tan's face when she finds out-!"

"Well sheesh, looks like someone's full of energy today." Speak of the devil. As Hamuko looked away from Junpei, she realized that Yukari had been standing nearby the whole time. She was smiling devilishly like proverbial the cat who caught the canary, or in this case, catching Junpei talking behind her back so to speak. "I could hear you all the way from here, you know… so you were saying something about me?"

"N, nope! Nothing at all." Junpei stuttered quickly. "Anyway, I got some stuff to take care of. Later!"

Without a second to spare, Junpei sprinted through the school gates and into the school, much to Hamuko's amusement. To Yukari, not so much. With an annoyed look, she turned towards Hamuko and scowled. "Jeez, what's up with him now? It's way too early in the morning for his stupid antics."

"Who knows?" Hamuko hummed inattentively. Yukari rolled her eyes skyward.

"Well, now that that's over…" Yukari took a breath, composing herself with a bright smile. "Are you feeling better… Hamuko?"

The auburn-haired girl's ponytail bounced up and down while she nodded. She was glad that Yukari left out the honorific. "Just peachy. My shoulder's still a bit numb though." She murmured as she unconsciously rubbed it again. "It's nothing to worry about though… Oh! Thanks for bringing me my MP3 player."

"No problem, but don't push yourself, all right? You did just get out of the hospital, y'know." She nodded thoughtfully. "Anyway, sorry for hitting you with this first thing in the morning, but Ikutsuki-san wants to talk to you today. Come to the fourth floor of the dorm after school, okay? Don't forget!"

"All righty."

* * *

><p>There was a very pregnant pause.<p>

She had arrived minutes ago directly after school, and still Ikutsuki was staring at her, much to her growing discomfort. Hamuko was seated on a small plush seat, next to Yukari. Ikutsuki sat on the opposite side, with Mitsuru seated at his left and Akihiko to his right, and they were all staring at her, as if she were some kind of zoo attraction.

"So," She said in an noncommittal fashion, breaking the awkward tension. "Can I ask why I'm here?"

"…I asked for you because I needed to talk to you. But first off, I'm glad you're okay. I wasn't sure what I'd do if anything had happened to you." Ikutsuki said finally, peering through his glances with what was an assumingly serious look. How creepy. "But first, I believe I mentioned him earlier, but this is Akihiko Sanada."

"Hey again." The white-haired boy gave her a nonchalant look as he glanced at her direction.

"Hello, Sanada-sempai." She said awkwardly, but he couldn't seem to care less.

"So you've met before? That's save time then." Ikutsuki pushed his glasses up, and leaned forward over the coffee table. "Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than twenty four hours?"

She gave him a sarcastic look. "No."

Apparently, her sarcasm didn't seem to sink through the seriousness of the mood. Mitsuru spoke up next. "Do you remember the night you came here? You had to have noticed the signs…" Hamuko knew what was coming next. "The streetlights went out... Nothing was working... There were coffins everywhere... Didn't it feel like you were in a different time...? That's the Dark Hour-a time period hidden between one day and the next."

So that explained it. Somewhat. She already most of the signs. With a perplexed look, she mumbled, "Hidden?"

"I guess it's more like something people aren't aware of. But, the Dark Hour does exist. It occurs each night, at midnight." It made sense. So the hellish nightmare she had experienced for the last ten years of her life was something normal people weren't aware of. Normal. If anyone were normal here, it would've had to been Junpei. "It'll happen tonight, and every night to come." He said rather cryptically. As if she didn't know that already.

"Normal people don't realize it, since they're all sleeping inside their coffins." Again, something she already knew. "But, that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting." Akihiko's face took on a more excitable look as he smirked. "You saw those creatures. We call them-"

"-Shadows," She finished for him, as she pictured the slimy mess of limbs and black gunk. She fought off a grimace, and continued. "Yukari already told me about them."

"She did?" Akihiko said with a surprised look. Nonetheless, he disregarded it and continued to speak. "Anyway, shadows appear only during the Dark Hour, and attack anyone who isn't in a coffin." If that was the case, why had she never seen one until now? "It's our job to defeat them… sounds exciting, huh?"

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru shouted, allowing her hair to whip up indignantly as she stood up, and glowered at the silver-haired teen. "Why are you always like that? You just got hurt the other day!" Worry and concern flashed in her eyes, and slight irritation tugged at the corner of her lip.

"Now, now," Ikutsuki was quick to intervene. With a light smile, he attempted to dissolve the abrupt tension. "He does his work well." Crossly, Mitsuru sat back down in her seat and folded her arms. Hamuko blinked. Even Mitsuru couldn't go against what Ikutsuki said…

Ikutsuki then looked back at Hamuko with a staid look, completely different from his previous expression. "Long story short… We're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad- S.E.E.S. for short. On paper, we're classified as a school club. But in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating the shadows. Mitsuru is the leader; I'm the club advisor."

Mitsuru as the leader? She expected as much, but she couldn't help but be impressed. She_ knew_ that there was something strange with this dorm.

"A shadow feeds on the mind of its prey; the victim becomes a living corpse." Mitsuru said as she picked up where Ikutsuki had left off. That, Hamuko didn't know. "They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them."

"How do you fight them then?" She asked, slightly hoping that there was a cleaner way to not get her hands stained in foul slime.

"Although rare, there are those who can function in the Dark Hour. Some may even awaken to a power that enables them to fight Shadows."

"Persona." Hamuko slipped, covering her mouth a moment later. Ikutsuki merely nodded.

"That's right- it's the power that you used the other night." And how did he know that? "Shadows can only be defeated by Persona Users, which means it's all up to you guys."

"I see." Hamuko understood.

Long story short, S.E.E.S was trying to recruit her.

"I'm glad you're quick to understand." He nodded approvingly.

Immediately, as if on cue, Mitsuru lifted a sleek metal briefcase from beneath the table and opened it, revealing the familiar yet outlandish figure of a gun. A similar gun to the one she had used all those nights ago lay nestled on dark gray foam next to a bright red armband that was emblazoned with 'S.E.E.S.'. Mitsuru gave her a piercing look. "In other words… we want you to join us. As you can see, we've prepared an evoker for you."

Hamuko gave a flippant look. "But why?"

"We'd like for you to lend us your strength." Mitsuru said curtly.

"Besides, your power was amazing." Akihiko jumped in. "You saw how huge that thing was, but your Persona ripped it into shreds like it was nothing!"

Hamuko froze. How would he know that? Did Yukari tell them? "How…?"

"Live camera feed." Mitsuru answered icily, gesturing to the large machine to the side of the room. "There are cameras wired all over the dorm for surveillance during the Dark Hour just in case in the even the dorm gets attacked. Which is how we saw your battle with the shadows on the roof."

She gave them all incredulous looks and uttered, "…And you didn't even think about helping?"

"Well…" Mitsuru began to say, but Hamuko cut her off.

"Yukari could've died back there- no, we both could have died back there, and none of you thought about helping?" Her voice rose as she balled her hands into fists. Her face was flushed with obvious indignation. "What if I wasn't able to summon my persona in time? What if I had collapsed after Thanatos had ripped whatever the hell that thing was into pieces? What if I wasn't able to kill those shadows!" Hamuko clicked her tongue in disgust.

"The reason for that is solely my fault." Ikutsuki answered immediately. "Mitsuru and Akihiko would have made it to the scene immediately if I hadn't stopped them."

Her eyes narrowed as they fell onto Ikutsuki. "Why did you stop them?"

"Once I saw you pick up Yukari's evoker, I assumed it would be the best time to see your potential." He explained with an apologetic look. "But one thing concerns me. How exactly did you know what to do? Did you do it because you saw Yukari do it priorly? How did you know that she wasn't planning to commit suicide?"

"…Because Yukari isn't that type of person." Numbly, Hamuko shook her head, before looking awkwardly to the side to avoid Yukari's gaze.

"So how did _you_ know?" Ikutsuki pressed.

"…The words popped into my head?" She answered helplessly with a shrug, earning a flippant looks from the others. It was true though. The boy in striped pajamas showed her what she needed to do, but… who would believe her if she told them that? It wasn't just that either. Shaking her head, Hamuko stood up and glanced to everyone in the room. "Look, this is really sudden," Too sudden, too much to her discomfort. How did she know those words? "Just… give me a day or two to think things over." She said with a somber finality.

"It's understandable." Ikutsuki nodded. Yukari had a look of protest on her face, as Mitsuru's eyebrows knitted together with uncertain worry. Akihiko, seemed thoughtful if nothing else. With a slight bow of her head, Hamuko left the conference room with a bitter tension, and shut the door behind her. With an aggravated look, she looked downward and clenched her fists as she whipped out her cell phone from her skirt pocket.

Her uncle. He probably knew something. Quickly, she dial his number while she ran back downstairs to the privacy of her room before realizing the extent of what Mitsuru had told her earlier.

There were cameras all over the dorm. For all she knew, there could be one in her room too. This predicament was nerve wracking and stress-inducing, but what could she do? She retreated into her room, and hit [Call].

After what seemed to be an eternity, he finally picked up. "Hello? Yuya Narumi speaking."

"Uncle?" She began to say, recomposing herself to hide her nervous apprehension. "It's me, Hamuko. Sorry for not calling you earlier."

"I was wondering when you'd call." He said in mock anger. Despite the worry he expressed through the phone, Hamuko couldn't help but smile. "I was about to call you myself, considering how you were in the hospital. How did you manage to get yourself in there anyway?" His voice took a dark tone. "…You're not involved with anything bad, are you?"

"Oh! No, no. Not at all." She hated lying through her teeth, but she had to make it seem like she was just checking with her uncle. "It was just out of exhaustion, that's all."

"That's exactly what that young lady told me a week ago. Kirijo, was it?" He remarked, before taking a more serious tone. "But that's beside the point. What did you do to get yourself that exhausted, Hamuko?"

"I didn't get proper rest." She said quickly, perhaps too quickly. "But I'm doing okay now." She added on a light note.

"I take it you're done adjusting, then?" He asked with an amused tone.

"I guess." She shrugged, as she collapsed over the side of her bed. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and let out a resigned sigh. "Sorry for calling you so late."

"It's no problem at all." Her uncle replied good naturedly. "If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, all right?"

"…Okay." She bit back her tongue, to stop her from asking whether he knew what a Persona was. Maybe a different time; she didn't want to worry him. "Good night, Uncle."

Hamuko wanted to say more, but couldn't. Instead, she closed the her cellphone with a somber click, and changed out of her uniform. She then quickly turned off the lights and dove under the blankets, curling up into a ball as her brows furrowed together with worry. It all seemed so surreal, like something out of a fantasy novel. Persona, Shadows, the Dark Hour… what was she to do? She couldn't ignore it, could she? If she did ignore it, what would happen?

_I accept the full responsibility of my actions._

If she ignored it, everything that would happen after would be her fault in an extreme way of thinking. The danger of the Dark Hour was great- she knew that. She had experienced it for years now, and the shadows she had encountered a week before only enforced the thought in her mind. She mulled it through her mind.

_Only those with the potential can awaken during the Dark Hour. _She didn't want to get hurt. Yet despite this, would she turn away people who were distinctly asking for her help?

The auburn-haired girl let out a deep sigh and relaxed, drifting off into restless slumber.

* * *

><p>A squeak of her mattress woke Hamuko up. As she sleepily shrugged off the blankets and sat up, her red eyes met the two-toned cerulean eyes of the boy in striped pajamas.<p>

"Hi," He said a little too cheerfully with a slight wave of his hand. "How are you?"

She jumped slightly, now fully awake. Her mouth opened to shout, but she realized that all the others would wake if she did. "H-How did you get in here?" She stuttered awkwardly, much to the boy's amusement.

"I'm always with you." He answered obligingly.

"Really." She said flatly. "Then why don't I ever see you during the daytime?"

"Because I thought you'd like some privacy, that's all." He said good naturedly.

"Well…" Of all the people she had encountered, only the creepy little kid had the decency to give her that? How thoughtful. "Thank you."

"It's fine. I think you deserve that much. There's little room for someone like me in your personal life, but I don't mind." Hamuko gawked at the boy's answer, causing him to laugh with an innocent chuckle before taking a more somber expression. "Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought that I should tell you."

_The End? What? _"…Thanks."

"'Thanks'?" The boy gave her a puzzled look. "Normally, you wouldn't thank a person for telling you that kind of thing, right?"

"At least you told it to me straight up," Hamuko said pointedly, before rolling her eyes. "Unlike SOME people here."

"Oh yes." He nodded. "Speaking of them, what will you do? They need you, you know."

"And how would you know that?" She gave him a suspicious look before waving her hand dismissively. "Oh right, you're always with me." With a pleased nod, the boy beckoned for her to continue. "…I was thinking about it," She murmured quietly. "Considering what they're trying to go against, I think they'd need all the help they can get."

"Yes. They're interested in you and your power," He replied softly. "And an unusual power it is."

"Unusual how?" She asked.

"Yours is different from theirs." The boy shook his head, and raise his arms to elaborate. "It's a power that takes many forms, but is bound by none… It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up." Before she could ask another question, the boy continued to speak. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"I was thinking about it earlier, to be honest." She admitted. He simply gave an acknowledging nod of his head.

"I expect you to honor your commitment." He said, as he hopped off the side of her bed and flashing a small, lonely smile. Something about it made her sad at the core, yet filled her with a warm nostalgia. "I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me…"

He began walking towards the door, but Hamuko's eyes never left him. Why would she forget him? No, rather, why would he think that?

"Wait."

"What is it?" The boy stopped, and turned around with a bemused look. His hand was already on the doorknob, waiting.

"You're welcome to come back anytime, if you'd like."

That apparently caught him off guard.

She smiled, and repeated with a clear voice, "Feel free to come back anytime, okay?"

"…Thank you." He said with a genuine smile, much like his previous one. "Okay then…" He said, as he turned the door knob and exited through the door with a small wave. "See you later."

"Good night." She called after him quietly as the door shut as she tugged her blankets and laid back down in her bed. She yawned sleepily, nuzzling her head into the pillows.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Hamuko, rise and shine."<p>

Hamuko blinked her eyes sleepily, before lifting her head off of her desk. Right, she was in school. Yukari was looking at her with an amused expression.

"Out of it, huh?" Yukari commented, before glancing at the door. "In case if you didn't hear, Mitsuru-sempai just came in. She wants us to meet up on the 4th floor later."

"Mmkay." The auburn-haired girl replied, as she propped her head on her hands. Yukari was staring at her with a worried look. "Is something up, Yukari?"

"Are you going to join?" She blurted, with a tentative look on her face. "I mean… it'd be really nice if you did. The extra help wouldn't be so bad, and…" Yukari trailed off, looking away.

"I thought about it," Hamuko said simply. Yukari peered upward with a worried expression. "and I don't think I can say 'no' after listening to all that, you know?"

"So that means…?" Yukari began, eyes widening with hope.

"Yep." Hamuko finished. "I'll be joining." Yukari beamed, and sighed with relief. Before she could say anything, Hamuko stood up and gestured to the door with a smile. "Let's get going. Maybe we can grab a bite before we get to the dorm?"

"Sure!"

* * *

><p>"Welcome back."<p>

Mitsuru and Akihiko were already in the command room; Mitsuru sitting by the large monitor, and Akihiko near the door. As Hamuko walked in behind Yukari, Mitsuru gave her an inquisitive look.

"You'll be joining us?" She asked briskly.

"Yes." Hamuko answered.

"Good to hear we have ourselves another member." Akihiko cut in smoothly. "Anyway, there's someone I wanted to introduce…"

"Huh?" Yukari looked questioningly at Hamuko.

Ignoring her, Akihiko walked over to the door. "Hey, hurry it up."

"Hold your horses, I'm almost there…"

Hamuko blinked. No sooner that she realized who was talking, Junpei Iori strode into the room with a grin on his face. Yukari looked horrified.

"Wassup?" He chuckled.

"J-Junpei?" She gasped in abhorrence, pointing a finger at the cap-wearing boy. "Why are YOU here?"

"Since you already know each other, I don't think introductions are necessary." Akihiko shrugged. "But as of today, he'll be staying here."

Yukari was not pleased. "He's staying HERE? You've gotta be kidding me!"

Unfazed, Akihiko went on. "I ran into him the other night. He has the potential, but he awakened to it just recently. I told him about us, and he agreed to help."

"You have the potential? For real?"

Junpei groaned in exasperation. "If you must know, he found me crying at a convenience store surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much, but man… that was embarrassing." He laughed. "He said that, ya know, that's perfectly normal in the beginning. Like being confused and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know about that?"

"Yep." Hamuko nodded.

"Well, you should, since you're a persona-user and all." Junpei grinned while rubbing his nose. "But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea. I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kind of lonely, you know."

"You have no idea." Hamuko blurted in agreement, before clasping her hand over her mouth. Everyone turned to look at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mitsuru asked.

Hamuko shrugged, feeling somewhat stupid. "It's nothing."

"Anyway!" Junpei slapped his hand on Hamuko's uninjured shoulder. "I bet you're stoked too, right? Havin' me join… I'd be nice to have a guy around, wouldn't it?"

"Huh?" Yukari grimaced. "…Whatever you say…"

Ignoring her, Junpei looked back at the auburn-haired girl. "Forget Yuka-tan. I'm glad to join the team, Hamuko."

Nodding, Hamuko smiled. "Now I get what you said... Anyway! Let's do our best."

Thrilled, Junpei gave a nod of his head. "Hell yeah! You can count on me!"

Hamuko could have sworn she heard something break. Suddenly, a card appeared before her...

_Thou art I.. and I am thou..._

_Thou hast established a new bond..._

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Fool Arcana..._

__In a flash, the Fool card melted into haze. Hamuko shook her head dizzily.

"Now that that's over, I think we're about ready…" Akihiko nodded to himself, while glancing at Mitsuru.

"Okay, everybody's here." Ikutsuki suddenly said, from seemingly nowhere. Hamuko jumped at his sudden appearance. Unfazed, the bespectacled man continued. "I'd like your undivided attention… since our numbers have jumped from two to five in such a short time, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus tonight, at 12:00AM."


	4. Chapter 4

A 'nest of shadows', Ikutsuki called it.

Certainly, that's what it had to be, but he forgot to mention the part where _the school that she had been attending for the past few days became a giant, twisted tower at the stroke of midnight_.

"This is Tartarus- the labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour." Mitsuru supplied.

"THE HELL?" Junpei spoke for her, as he gawked at the nightmarish tower. Hamuko silently agreed. "_Labyrinth_? What the hell are you talking about? What happened to our school?"

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal." Again, Mitsuru answered evenly.

"This is the 'nest' you were talking about?" Junpei gave an aghast look, while pointing to the mish-mashed structure. "But, why? Why'd our school turn into a giant tower?"

"…" Surprisingly, for the first time since Hamuko had arrived, Mitsuru did not immediately answer. Junpei apparently caught on as well.

"…So you dunno either?" He asked.

"…No." She replied finally.

"I'm sure it's complicated." Yukari cut in smoothly.

"Well, maybe we'll find out now." Akihiko said, with a rather… psyched expression. "Mitsuru and I have only gone inside to take a peek; this will be our first time exploring it. There has to be some kind of clue about the Dark Hour…"

"Akihiko," Mitsuru interjected with an icy glare. "I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today."

Akihiko's expression dissolved into one of dismay as he glanced at his gauze-covered arm. "I know… You don't have to remind me."

Without necessarily waiting for the others, Hamuko brazenly walked inside through the doors. If they were going to explore this place, what good would allowing the Dark Hour to waste away be? Besides, if what Akihiko said was true about clues being present in Tartarus, she was eager to find out.

The interior was not what she expected; the first floor seemed to be completely clear of shadows. There was a clear path leading up to a giant clock further down the room, and on a closer inspection, a slightly-glowing blue door apparently connected to nothing. She stared at it curiously, before glancing around at the constantly moving background behind the pillars.

How freaky.

"This is only the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs." Mitsuru supplied, as if to answer Hamuko's silent question.

"First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place." Akihiko trailed closely behind. "Why don't you have a look around?"

"What?" Yukari yelped. "By ourselves?"

"We're not asking you to go very far," Mitsuru said with a somewhat assuring tone. "and I'll be feeding you backup information from here."

That idea was comforting to Hamuko. At least they weren't necessarily going in blind, right?

"We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions." Akihiko said informatively. Hamuko tilt her head slightly, but it made sense. Mitsuru couldn't lead if she was providing backup.

"For real…?" Junpei muttered, before grinning widely. If it was as if a switch was flipped; at least, for Junpei, anyway. "Oh. OH." He raised his hand, still grinning. "Me me me! Pick _me_!"

He was certainly eager, which wasn't all that bad, really. Junpei seemed the most psyched out everyone; then again, as Hamuko took note of earlier that day, he gave her the impression that he didn't know how to make decisions.

After a brief moment, she realized that Akihiko was looking at her.

"Hamuko, you're in charge."

She hadn't been expecting this, considering that she had only been a day out of the hospital. Notably, Yukari didn't seem bothered- in fact, she looked relieved. Junpei on the other hand…

"Wha…?" He wore an indignant expression, as he pointing at her disapprovingly. "B-But she's a girl!"

Hamuko could have heard a pin drop. Not missing a beat, she turned towards Junpei with her arms on her hips and an uncharacteristic glare on her face. "What's THAT supposed to mean?" She growled vehemently.

"N-Nothing!" Junpei said hastily, looking down to the side. "It's just…"

"You know, Junpei," Yukari said rather defensively. "She HAS fought them before…"

"Seriously?"

"That's true, but there's another reason. You two…" With his uninjured arm, Akihiko pulled his evoker out, and placed it firmly against his forehead. "Can you summon your persona without any difficulty like she can?"

Yukari and Junpei flinched when Akihiko unhesitatingly pulled the trigger. Hamuko frowned slightly, but didn't say anything. She had summoned and fought shadows, that much was true. However, to say that she summoned without any difficulties… well, then what the hell did Thanatos going berserk classify as? And that was well over a week ago!

"These are shadows we're talking about here." Akihiko continued. "Without your Persona, you're screwed."

"I'm aware of that." Yukari sighed. Junpei looked fearful for once. On the other hand, she found herself staring at the blue door which felt extremely out of place.

Akihiko, who was seemingly content with striking alarm into the hearts of her fellow juniors, turned towards her. "All right. Let's head inside. Are you ready, Hamuko?"

"In a minute." She answered as she rummaged the Velvet key from her skirt pocket, and inserted it into the door's key hole.

* * *

><p>In a flash of light, Hamuko found herself in the Velvet Room. Igor sat there, grinning like all other times she had met him.<p>

"I've been waiting for you." Igor said simply, gesturing for her to take a seat, which she did. "The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into… How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why, you must be made aware of the nature of your power… as well as something else, that has recently been brought to my attention."

"The nature of my power?" She repeated. Igor nodded.

"Your power is like the number zero… It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities. You are able to possess multiple personas, and summon them as needed. When you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp… But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly. Please, keep that in mind."

"And what about that 'something else'?" Hamuko asked tentatively whilst registering all that in her mind.

For the first time, Igor's smile left his face, and his expression grew somber.

"I was informed of this not too long after your last departure from the Velvet Room; an unprecedented event of disastrous proportions that not even my master could predict occurred."

Hamuko hesitated. "…What kind of event?"

"Something that my master is pouring his time into repairing the damage that has been done, so its effects do not permanently tamper or destroy your world as a consequence. You see, my dear, in another place and time, something of utmost importance was desecrated- its most key element was lost… and forcibly planted in your world."

"Wait, _what_?" Hamuko nearly shouted. "Is there anyway you can put it back-?"

"At this time, that possibility seems highly unlikely due to the circumstances and implications, but fear not; we are doing all we can to fix this predicament." Igor paused and gave a considerate look. "…I can speak of what happened no longer; it is not my place to tell you."

Hamuko looked crestfallen. Igor closed his eyes enigmatically.

"In due time, you will come to understand. For the time being, you should proceed as you normally would. My spare time will soon grow exceedingly scarce… but, please come again of your own accord. I'll tell you then of my true role… the manner in which I can best assist you."

"Easy for you to say… but thank you, I guess." She mumbled uneasily while sinking into her seat. "Is there anything else?"

"There is, in fact, one last thing." Igor smiled. "Do you recall when I mentioned another resident of this room…? Tell me, when you think of this person, what do you see?"

Hamuko gave a thoughtful look. "Is is a guy?"

"I see… Then let's bring him out for a proper introduction." Without moving, a door over to the side opened, revealing a yellow-eyed man in a blue suit.

"My name is Theodore," He said conversationally with a slight bow of his head. "but please, feel free to call me Theo. It's a pleasure to meet you…"

"Nice to meet you too." Hamuko said weakly with a small smile.

"My assistant will aid you as well." Igor cut in smoothly. "Until then… Farewell."

Hamuko waved to the both of them as she exited the Velvet Room.

* * *

><p>"Hey, are you all right?"<p>

"Yeah, what's up? You look like a zombie." Junpei commented.

"I opened this door, and…"

"Wait, what? What door…?"

"…Uh, I don't see any door."

Frowning, Hamuko gave a shrug of her shoulders. So they didn't see the door. Peachy.

"Have you been nodding off, Hamuko? You seemed kind of out of it earlier too…"

"C'mon, dude. You're s'posed to be our Leader…" Junpei groaned. "Get your head in the game! Though, you don't really need to worry. I got you covered whenever you need it, man!"

While she was still bothered by her sudden revelation, she couldn't let it get to her now. With a slight smile, Hamuko nodded at her new teammates. "Sorry for keeping you. Let's get going now!"

* * *

><p>After listening to a crash-course about so-called 'skills' and a persona's elements by Akihiko and given weapons, they were finally allowed to go inside. The interior of the second floor was akin to what Hamuko was originally expecting. Lots of green, lots of blood, while still managing to vaguely resemble the school.<p>

"So, this is it, huh…?" Junpei muttered as he tilted his cap upward.

"I hope I don't get lost…" Yukari voiced.

_"Can you all hear me?"_

"Whoa, is that you sempai?"

_"I'll be providing audio back up from here on out."_

"Wait… so you can see inside here?"

_"It's my persona's ability."_ She answered. _"I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative."_

"Well THATmakes me feel a lot better…" Yukari griped.

_"Based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any moment. They shouldn't be too strong, but proceed with caution."_

"I see…" Hamuko said thoughtfully as she tapped the edge of her naginata on the floor. "Let's go, everyone."

With that said, her ragtag team darted forward. A simple shadow with a pale blue mask was a little ways off.

_"Watch out! I detect a shadow in front of you!"_

"I can see it, sempai." Hamuko confirmed as she stepped closer. "Yukari, Junpei, back me up!"

"Gotcha!"

"Leave it to me!"

Without another moment's hesitation, she ran forward and slammed her naginata down against its mask. While it splintered, the sound of shattering glass rang through the air as Yukari yanked her backwards.

"HERMES!"

A fully armored humanoid with metallic wings stretching from its hands to its ankles flourished momentarily, giving the time and space necessary for Hamuko to move out of the way. Once Yukari had pulled her back, it practically threw itself into a dropkick and crashed into the Shadow. It exploded into a mess of ichor on impact.

"Yeah! Who da man!" Junpei yelled triumphantly.

"Stupei!" Yukari yelled, smacking him upside the head. "Be more responsible, would you? You could have hit her!"

"But I didn't!" Junpei protested. "I know what I'm doing! Besides, our 'Leader' is totally fine. Right?" He asked, glancing towards Hamuko.

"I'm okay." She assured after recomposing herself. Yukari shot Junpei a glare, but didn't say anything. After a moment, she towards the brunette. "Thanks, Yukari."

"Don't mention it." She smiled slightly.

A few steps along the way, the group came across a flight of stairs. "Sempai, what's that?" Hamuko asked.

_"A staircase is the only way to proceed to the next floor. I can't allow you to go any higher today, but please remember about it next time."_

"Roger that." Hamuko chirped. "Are there any shadows close by?"

_"There's a group lurking just around the next corner to your right."_

"All right, thanks sempai."

"_Arisato, I feel that I should inform you that before you engage with the enemy, my Persona is able to scan for any weaknesses they may have."_

"Is that right?" Hamuko asked, before turning the corner to see the opposing shadows in view. "Sempai, I see them. Think you can scan them?"

_"Roger. I'll attempt to scan the enemy."_

"Yukari, think you can hit them from here?" The auburn-haired girl asked.

"I think so."

"Junpei?"

"I'm ready to go!"

_"Those are Cowardly Mayas- their weakness is fire. Does anyone have agi?"_

"Ohh, sweet!" Junpei practically yelled. "Leave this one to me!"

Unfortunately, his yelling did a good job of catching the shadows' attention. As the triad of shadows wrenched themselves forward down the hallway, Hamuko did not hesitate pulling her evoker's trigger.

"Eurydice!"

Immediately, her long-haired persona appeared at her call. Again, like the night she was first summoned, Eurydice smashed her heart-shaped lyre against one of the Mayas. While it was stunned, Yukari took a shot at its mask, shattering it instantly.

Junpei on the other hand, summoned Hermes once more. Rather than diving at the other Maya as it did before, it caused a small explosion to ignite. The shadow melted away into a puddle, as did the next one.

Junpei grinned wildly.

"Get back here you son of a-!" Junpei yelled, as he dove into the fray. Deciding immediately that a good leader would back him up, Hamuko followed after him with naginata poised. Yukari followed shortly after.

The shadows dissipated into nothingness.

With a flash, three cards appeared in Hamuko's mind. Without waiting another second, they began shuffling themselves. Watching them dizzied her, and when they finally stopped, she was confused. Randomly, she found herself picking the center.

**Apsaras has been welcomed into your heart.**

_That_ was interesting.

_"I see that you were able to pull off an 'All-Out Attack."_

"There's a name for that?"

_"Yes. To prevent injury in a skirmish, please consult with the field leader before charging in. We wouldn't want anyone to get injuries during All-Out attacks."_

"You're just saying that now?" Junpei groaned as he cradled his right shoulder. "And this was my favorite shirt…"

"Jeez, don't be a baby." Yukari tsked with a chiding expression. "Let me see that."

Grudgingly, Junpei obeyed. His sleeve was slashed, and beneath it was a scratch with little trails of blood seeping, and staining his navy blue dress shirt.

After a brief sigh, Yukari fired her evoker. A girl with ebony skin that was seated on a floating cow head appeared momentarily, bathing Junpei's shoulder in a warm light before fading away. Junpei gawked at his healed skin.

"All better. You should be more careful, Junpei. We don't exactly know what else is lurking around here, y'know." Yukari smiled, before taking the time to glance at Hamuko. "So, what now, Leader?"

"Leader?" Hamuko blinked. "Well… let's go clear out the rest of the Shadows on this floor and get out of here. Does that sound like a plan?"

_"Unfortunately, there aren't anymore Shadows present on this floor. I'm surprised; there weren't many this time around…"_

"No more action, huh…?" Junpei sighed. "So then all that's left for us to do is get outta here."

_"Indeed. It's safe right now, so go ahead and issue a search for an access point. Arisato, as field leader, you have the authority to give orders. However, I must insist that you be wise when doing so. Some situations won't be as favorable as tonight's. As of the moment, why don't you all split up to search?"_

"Sure!" Hamuko nodded. "But how do we know what it looks like?"

_"You'll know when you see it."_ Came her curt reply. _"Go issue the order, Arisato. I'll let you know if the circumstances in Tartarus change."_

"Roger that, sempai."

* * *

><p>As it turned out, an access point looked like a glowing green teleporter. Or at least, as close to one could get. The moment she touched it, she found herself back on the first floor of Tartarus. Junpei and Yukari followed shortly after, looking just as dazed as she was.<p>

"Welcome back." Mitsuru greeted as she walked over. "So, how was it?"

Hamuko was the first to recover. With a nod of her head, she said, "No problem."

_Who am I kidding? I'm not cut out for this._

"I see." Mitsuru chuckled. "Well, if you gained confidence, that's the best thing that you could have achieved."

Again, Hamuko nodded despite herself. She really wasn't cut out for this.

"Wow… I never knew I had that kind of power!" Junpei on the other hand, seemed sure of himself. He was grinning, but a few seconds later, his face fell. "But damn, I'm beat…"

"That's 'cause you were bouncing around like a little kid the entire time." Yukari made a face.

"You look pretty tired yourself, Yuka-tan. Even though you only summoned yours once…" Junpei snorted.

"I'm still trying to catch my breath, actually." Yukari rolled her eyes. "Besides, at least I didn't go overboard."

Hamuko sighed. "You guys…"

"In any case," Mitsuru cut in smoothly. "that's the effect of the Dark Hour; you'll become fatigued easily. Don't worry though, you'll adapt." She said with an air that expressed total confidence, as she glanced between the trio of teenagers. "But, I'm surprised… you all did much better than I expected." With that said, she cast a glance to the white-haired senior standing a little away from the group. "They'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko."

"We'll see about that." He laughed.

In any case, she was feeling rather tired. Were all her nights going to be like this from now on? Scouring a giant monster-infested tower with a ragtag team?

Still… it was kind of fun. Kind of.

Maybe she could get used to it.

_Thou shall have our blessing when creating a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_

Hamuko shook her head dizzily. Twice in one day? Jeez.

"You all right?" Yukari asked with a slightly worried look.

"Yeah, I'm okay." The auburn-haired girl murmured softly as she stifled a yawn. "Let's go back to the dorm now, I'm sleepy…"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Hamu-tan. Eyes open, Ms. Toriumi's coming around!"<p>

She wasn't even aware that she had been nodding off. Silently, she gave Junpei a grateful smile before glancing around the auditorium. Students from every class were waiting avidly.

Right. There was an assembly today. Did she just miss everything?

"Sheesh, you must've been really tired." Junpei whispered, promptly filling her in. "You're like, dead on your feet or something, but no worries. Ya didn't miss much… 'cept Mitsuru-sempai's wicked awesome speech."

"Did you even understand any of it, Junpei?" Yukari interrupted with a rather unimpressed look.

"'Course I did…" Junpei said defensively. "Anyhow, we have class next, don't we? Man… this sucks."

Hamuko nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>By some miracle, she managed to sit through Ms. Toriumi's lecture without falling asleep. Junpei wasn't so lucky, however. Despite that, both teens managed to stagger out of the classroom to head home for the day…<p>

Only to be caught off guard by shrill cries of fangirls. A legion of them, all surrounding one person.

Akihiko.

They were Akihiko's fangirls, apparently. Was that even possible?

"Oh yeah." Junpei chimed, apparently waking from his stupor just to comment. "That dude's one lucky guy… I mean, c'mon, you only see this kinda thing in anime! Look at all the chicks!" Junpei began to say, but then looked back at Hamuko with a disappointed look.

"What?"

"You're a girl." Junpei said with a offhand tone. "You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you a hundred times."

"Try a hundred and one then." Hamuko rebuked.

It was at that point when Akihiko approached them.

"You guys free this afternoon?" He asked, blatantly ignoring the whines of his fan girls.

"Who us?" Junpei exchanged a glance with Hamuko before shrugging. "I… guess so…?"

"I want the two of you to meet me at the Paulownia Mall." With this, he shot a side-glance to Junpei. "You know where it is, right? I'll be at the police station. See you there."

With that, he walked away, leaving his fangirls behind without a second thought.

"He just left all those chicks behind. I can't believe that!" Junpei gaped with disbelief. "I mean, just look how hot they all are!"

"I'm more concerned about the fact that he didn't even give us time to do say anything." Hamuko replied, as she watched the horde disperse after the white-haired senior. "I wonder why sempai didn't just walk with us to the police station? Wouldn't that be much faster?"

"Maybe he's trying to lose 'em all. Hell, I don't even why he'd want that though…" Junpei sighed. "Talk about putting a damper on a guy's afternoon… whatever, let's go."

* * *

><p>True to his word, Akihiko was indeed at the Police Station. As things turned out, he wanted to introduce Officer Kurosawa. Hamuko found it all rather interesting, for the fact that a police officer was the one supplying S.E.E.S. with their armory and weapons.<p>

"This is from Ikutsuki-san." Akihiko said smoothly as he handed over 5000 yen to her, then Junpei. "You can't fight empty-handed, so find something you like. Officer Kurosawa has connections…" Hamuko was very curious to know what _type_ of connections, but that question could stay unanswered. "But, these things still cost money." Money that she didn't have.

"Of course they do. Nothing in life is free." Kurosawa said briskly.

"I realize that." Akihiko nodded in agreement, before glancing at Hamuko and Junpei. "Well, see you later. Thanks again."

With that, he left. Officer Kurosawa wasted no time speaking after.

"My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances. I'm just an ordinary Police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to realize something strange is going on here. I'm only doing what I think is right."

Hamuko nodded respectfully.

"Hey, I got a question." Junpei spoke up. "If we do buy weapons here, how do we get them to the dorm?"

"They're sent there." Kurosawa raised an eyebrow. "Do you think it would be fine for teenagers to walk out of a Police box with weapons?"

"E-Err, no. 'Course not." Junpei stuttered. "Well, in any case, I think I'm fine with what I've got for now, so I'm out!"

"Same here." Hamuko bowed nervously. "Bye, Kurosawa-san!"

A police officer of all people was selling weapons to teenagers. Hamuko would ask herself what the world was coming to, but she was afraid of that answer.

Once she and Junpei left the Police box, she noticed that he looked rather… moody. In fact, he seemed to forget that she was even there, and walked off grumbling.

…

Now what?

* * *

><p>She ended up blowing the money Ikutsuki gave her on Arcade games that day and evening. Not that the creeper would ever know.<p>

* * *

><p>The next day, after school was over, Junpei seemed friendlier than before. In fact, he invited her to hang out.<p>

Thusly, she found herself seated at Hagakure, with Junpei next to her.

"We'll have two specials!" He called over to the cook.

"Sounds good." She commented.

"Well… I'm sure it'll be better than whatever you're expecting, that's for sure." He grinned. "This is your first time to Hagakure, ain't it?"

"Mhm." Hamuko nodded, just as a waiter came by and placed a bowl in front of her. She paused for a moment, and stared. It smelled delicious, and looked delicious too. Would it taste as good as it looked? Her stomach was prompting her to try.

Junpei already was digging in. Grinning, he gave her a slight push on the back. "C'mon, try it."

Not bothering to argue, she split her chopsticks in half and plucked a string of noodles from the bowl, and slurped.

It _was_ delicious.

"Haha! Good, right? I can tell from the look on your face." Junpei laughed. "Chow time!"

Nodding, she dug in eagerly. At the same time, Junpei scalded his mouth- despite herself, she couldn't help but chuckle at his distress.

"So, you feeling better now?" He asked out of the blue. Hamuko stopped eating to look at him. "I heard while you weren't in school, you were in the hospital. Was it 'cuz of your shoulder? And not only that, but you've been tired as hell at school too. I was kinda worried, to be honest."

Hamuko took a moment to ponder about that. He remembered? "Is that why you invited me out?"

"Huh? Oh, um… well, yeah!"

"How sweet." She said simply with a smile.

"Heh." Junpei smirked. "But, y'know, when I transferred here I had some problems too. In your case, you've got fighting on top of all that… I was wondering if you weren't accustomed to school or whatever… but then again, I think you'll do just fine. You _are_ the Leader, aren't you?" The cap-wearing boy laughed with an embarrassed tone.

"Only in name, I guess. I don't really think I'm cut out for it." Hamuko sighed. "You're really good at fighting though, you know that, Junpei?"

"Seriously? Awesome!" He grinned, but nodded understandingly after. "But don't sweat it, Leader. We're in this mess together, and this is something only we can do, right? Let's kick some ass!"

"Yeah!" Hamuko couldn't help but smile.

Something glimmered in her mind. Another card, different from the Fool and the Apsaras card she had seen the night before etched itself into her mind.

_Thou Art I… I Art Thou…_

_Thou has established a new bond…_

_Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana…_

"Still…" Junpei suddenly mused with a rather devious grin. "Girls and guys livin' in the same dorm, huh? That can't be good."

"What are you thinking about?" Hamuko asked, after downing the rest of her soup.

"Oh, don't worry 'bout me. I don't drag love into my work." Junpei replied. "Then again, I can't guarantee that I won't fall for somebody!" He laughed, before peering into Hamuko's bowl. "…You're already done? Dude."

Hamuko gave a grin of her own this time.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, after learning she could decide when they would go to Tartarus, they went.<p>

At the door, Mitsuru gave an objective; there was a barrier that needed to be investigated, however, by no means they had to accomplish that immediately. That was good to know. Later, as she prepared, out of curiosity she visited the Velvet Room.

Igor and Theodore were waiting for her. From there, Igor explained to her that she was able to fuse personas; by doing so, she would reach her potential. He also described as time went by, her potential would reveal itself in the form of cards.

"Shuffle time?" she asked.

"If you wish to call it that, yes." Igor chuckled. "As of the moment, your power is insufficient to fuse any personae… but it will not stay that way. Certainly not. It will come with time, but in the end it is also up to you, my dear."

With a smile, she left shortly after.


End file.
